Semi-automated offside technology may not be launched in the Premier League until next year, the PA news agency understands.
The introduction of the technology was approved by clubs in April and had been set to be brought in after one of this autumn’s international windows.
October had originally been seen as the most likely date but that is now certain to pass, and it may not be ready by mid-November either and could go into the winter.
League bosses sought to ‘manage expectations’ on the launch date among clubs at a meeting held in central London on Thursday, with testing on the system ongoing.
The league believes the technology could speed up the length of the average VAR check for offside by 31 seconds.
Clubs were also given a largely positive update on officiating and reminded about their obligations around player behaviour.
It is understood there was no pushback from clubs regarding the league spending more than £45 million on legal costs.
There was recognition that the spending is necessary to uphold the league’s rules, and is a small fraction of the £10 billion the league is set to earn in television revenues over the next three years.
Vote against rule change withdrawn amid Man City case
A vote to amend the Premier League‘s associated party transaction (APT) rules was withdrawn ahead of a clubs meeting on Thursday, but sources insist the change would only have been a minor one.
Reports on Thursday linked the decision to pull a vote connected to the databank, a tool used by the league’s board to assess fair market value in commercial deals, to Manchester City‘s legal challenge to the APT rules.
The reports said it indicated a potential victory for the club in the case.
However, the PA news agency understands the change would not have been a substantive one even if it had been voted through, with sources close to the meeting describing it as minor.
The APT rules are designed to ensure that commercial deals with entities linked to a club’s owners are done for fair market value.
City’s APT case was heard by an arbitration panel under Section X of the Premier League rules, where any decision made remains private. The hearing was held over two weeks in June.
Under rule X.31, the chair of the panel – with the parties’ consent – can share an anonymised summary of the ruling where it is considered to have “wider application” to other clubs.
A City victory would surely trigger changes to the APT rules, which the clubs would need to be made aware of. However, beyond the dropped databank amendment, it is understood there was no further discussion of APT rule changes at Thursday’s meeting.
That could mean the panel has not made a decision yet, or that the Premier League won the case and no rule changes are required.
The Premier League was unable to comment on the matter under its own rules.
